muller



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P' E. MULLER.-

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

Patented June 21, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.4

P. E. MULLER.

` FOLDING BBDSTEAD. No. 365,348. Patented June 21, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F. ERNSTKMULLER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

i FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 365,348, dated June 21, 1887.

Application tiled March 22, 1886. Serial No. 196.073. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, F. ERNST MULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New `York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bedsteads, of which the following isa specification.' y Y My invention relates to that class of folding beds in which the bed swings or folds up into an upright case having the externalappearance of a chiffonier or chest of drawers, and also relates to that class in which the bed-frame is made in two sections hinged together and connected by a springwire web or elastic bedbottom which becomes strained tight andlevel when the sections are unfolded or opened out for use.

The main obj ccts of my improvement are to provide a longer bed in a case of shorter height than heretofore and to give the'folded casca more perfect and delusive appearance of a tinishedy chiffonier; also, -to enable a separat-e bolster 'to be dispensed with and to so construct the bed-frame and dispose the mattress as to serve asa bolster, and, finally, to simplify and improve thebed in in its general construction.

To these ends my invention embodies several novel features, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

va fragmentary longitudinal section near the hinges or trunnions ofthe bed. Figs. 8, 9, 10, 1l, and l2 give detailed views of the hinges or trunnions of the bed frame.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, A indicates the upright case of the folding bedstead; and B indicates the hingedor folding bedf rame, which is pivotcd to the case and may be swung vertically into the case, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, or maybe opened out and placed horizontally, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5. The case case, and the lower front corners of the case are extended into the front corners ofthe baseframe in the form of triangular consoles or extensions, as shown at c in Fig. l. Now, the hed-frame B is hinged or pivoted within the base-frame e and within the ends c c, just at the corners of the extensions c c', as shown atf in Figs. 2, 3,and 6. The side rails, g g, of the bed-frame fit snugly within the ends c c of the case B, as seen in Figs. 4, 5,y and 6.

The end h of the bed-frame, which connects the side bars, g g, forms the foot-board ofthe bedwhen tbe bed is extended, as seen in Fig. 3, and closes the open top of the case flush with the top section, d, when the bed is folded, as seen in Figs. l and 2. v

The bottom i ofthe bedframe is formed on y the exterior to represent the finished drawer front of av chiffonier or similar piece of furniture, as shown best in Fig. 1, and at the top of this.front,close to the foot-board h, are pivoted two brackets or consoles, k k, which,`

when the bed is folded up,fit close to the front and'form ornamental consoles at the top of the chiffonier front, but which, when the bed is extended, are swung down and form legs to support the foot of the extended bed, as seen in Fig. 3. These leg-brackets 70k are provided with an arc-shaped Yiron or flange, l,

which projects through a slot in the front or 'bottom' and terminates in a round bolt-like prong, Z', which is curved concentric with the pivot of the leg-bracket and coincident with a tangential bolt-hole, m, through the side bars, g g, and through the case ends c c, as seen best in Fig. 4.

On the arcs Z are pivoted spring-latches n n,- which, when the leg-brackets are swung out, catch against the bottom iand hold the leg in itsextended and supporting position, as shown on the right of Fig. 4t. Vhen, however, the

spring-latch a is pressed inward, the leg can be folded back flush with the front or bottom z', as seen in Fig. 1 and ou the left of Fig. 4, and when thus folded the bolt-prong m passes through the side bar, g, into the end e of the easevB, and thus locks the bed firmly in its folded position in the case, as will be readily understood from Figs. 1, 2, and 4. By this construction of the legs they serve as ornaments on the top of the folded front, and the act of extending thelegs unlocks the bed from its ease, and vice versa, which is a very advantageous feature.

lt will be further seen on reference to Figs. l, 2, and3 that by my construction I pivot the `bed-fra-me in the case at a point much lower down and farther forward than usual, and hence I am enabled to use a much lower or shorter case than usual, and yet use a bed of longer length. In this way I provide a bed a little longer than usual, which is very de si rable, and yet make the case more near to the usual height of ehiffoniers, thus present ing a better appearance when thebed is folded and giving greater capacity when the bed is extended.

In order to further improve the appearance of the bed when folded and to improve the delusion of a finished chiffonier, I pivot the bed-frame within the case B and its base-frame ein such a way as to form a cylindrical or rollingjoint, as shown at s s in Figs. l, 2, and 3, which eneircles the hinge ff and revolves in the base-frame e, so as to make a perfect nish at the joint between bed-frame and case, and conceal the nature of the piece of furniture very perfectly. For the same purpose the bed-frame is provided with an ornamental marginal bead or molding, o, which projects laterally therefrom and overlaps the front edge ofthe case ends c c when the bed is folded, as seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, thus making no joint observable on the front when the bed is folded, as illustrated in Fig. l. This molding o of course runs down over the inclined extensions c', and is curved around the curved ends thereof at the hinging points, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, thus making a finished concealing border on the front of the case, as

seen best in Fig. l.

New, referring to Figs. 2 and 3, p represents the elastic wire web or spring-bottom, the foot end of which is secured, as usual, to a cross-bar, p', which is held in iron brackets or sockets g', attached to the side bars, g, and provided with set-screws, as usual, for adjusting the tension of the web. rlhe head end of the web is fixed to a cross-bar, p, which is secured at opposite ends to lever-arms q, which are pivoted to the head end of the side bars, g, above the hinge f, as shown at 1'. These lever-arms q are formed with a curved or cam face, 5, at the top, which projects under rollers 6 G on the top of vertical sliding rods 7 7, which are supported in the upright guides 8 8 and are acted upon by strong springs which tend to constantly pull the rods and their rollers downward, as will be understood from Figs. l, 2, andfi.

New, a particularly advantageous feature of my bed in combination with the other parts of the bed-frame is the inclined head-rest or bolster-frame G, which is hinged to the side rails,g g, of the bed-fran1e, as shown at t t, and forms, in fact, the hcadscction of' the bedframe. .lhishead-fralneconsists of two curved side bars, l0 l0, hinged at t to the main side bars, gy, and connected by the bottom slats, 12, and also provided with a roller, 13, which rests on the back b of the case A, as well shown in Figs. 2 and The stuffed mattress vis placed onthe wire web j) with its head end resting on the inclined vhead-rest or bolster-frame C, as shown by full and dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, and it will thus be seen that the inclined frameC supports the head end of the mattress in a raised position in such manner as to serve as a bolster, and thus enable a separate bolster t0 be dispensed with, which is a great advantage in economy, convenience, and compactness'.

The general construction of the bed having been now explained, it will be seen thatA when the bed is extended, as shown by full lines in Fig. 3,'the bed-frame B will extend horizontally from the case A, the foot cud being supported on the outswinging legs lc k, while the head-frame C will be held in a curved or inclined position, forming a conti nnation of the bed-frame within the case A, with its high end resting against the back b, as shown in Figs. 3, 5, and G.

It will be seen by reference to the dotted lines in Fig. 3 that-in the act of swinging down the bed-frame into the extended position the arms q Q will catch under the rollers (i 6, which will thus obstruct the movements of the arms and puta resistance thereon, which will retard the arms relatively to the bed-frame, and thus act to take up the slack in the wire web 12. The arms Q q will, however, rise up slowly as the bed-frame is depressed, thus forcing up thc rollers 6 and bars 7 against the tension of the springs 9 until the arms qassume a nearlyhorizontal position with the bed-frame, as shown by full lines in Fig. 3, when a stop or hook, 15, on the bars 7 strikes a shoulder on the guides 8, at which point the bed will be fully extended, as shown, and the web p will be strained taut and level, as will be readily understood from Fig. 3. rlhe mattress e will now be supported on the strained web p and on the inclined head-frame C, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, in a perfect position to receive the sleeper and without requiring a separate bolster at the head, as before described. W'hen, 0n the other hand, the bed is to be folded up, the bed-frame B is swung up, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, and is finally closed into the case A, as shown by full lines in Figs. 2 and l. In this position the web p will be greatly slaekened and the mattress v will be bent at the head end within the betteln ICO IIO

of the case, the head-frame C assuming a ver-` tical position in the lower part of the case, while the lever-arms q assume a nearly-horil zontal position inl the bottom of the case far below the rollers 6 and sliding rods 8, which latter will be drawn down to their limit of motion by the contraction of the springs 99, thus causing all parts of the bed-structure to fold very easily and compactly within the case. It will be here again seenthat by having the hinge f of the bed-frame so much farther forward and downward than usual greater space is provided between the hinging-point and the back of the case to allow the mattress, Src., to bend or double itself `into the case, and thus enable the mattress and bed clothes to fold in easily without squeezing or pressing the samev too much, which is a very desirable. feature.

Any suitable form of hinge or pivot maybe used to joint the bed-frame tothe case; but I prefer to use the peculiar form of trnnnionhinge shown best 1n Figs. 8, 9, and l0. The barrel part f of this hinge or trunnion is attached to theside bars, g, as seen in Fig. 6,

`base-flange of the same widthas the round part ofthe pintle, and has a narrower slot,17,

tenen of the pint-le, as seen in Figs. 8 and 10.

It will therefore be seen that this tenoned forni of the pintle and the slotted form of the barrclwill allow the slotted barrel to be slid laterally over the pintleinv one position,which corresponds to the dotted lines in Fig. 7, and hence the bed-frame can be lifted on or off its pintles in the case at the angle orposition shown in Fig. 7, and may thus be removed or inserted, asv occasion may require. At all other angles the pintles will bear against and be embraced firmly by the unslotted part of the barrel, and cannot be removed, but will be soeketed pivotally secure, as will be readily understood. When the bed-frame is at the removable angle, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, there will of course be no tendency for the hinge to become disengaged, as theweight and strain of the parts will keep the hinge in engagement unless the bed-frame is purposely the side bars,'g, are of similar character to those already described, but different in their details, as shown in Figs. 1l and 12. In this case the pintlevsections r are secured to the lever-arms q and the barrel-sections r to the side bars, g, as seen in Fig. G. The pintles r are formed with an overhanging lug or projection, 20,' and the barrels r are formed with an overhanging ilange, 21, having a slot, 22, at onepoint to admit the luggedpintle; hence by this means the pintles can be inserted endwise in the barrels or removed therefrom at one particular angle, and at all other angles the pintles will be free to turn in the barrels and be pivotally secured therein,and therefore the arms q, having these pintles attached, as seen in Fig. 6, may be'easily hinged onto the barrels on the side bars, g, and may be removed therefrom at a particular position whenever removal is necessary. These forms of hinges are therefore very strong and simple, and may be easily made of malleable iron, and admit of easy attachment and detachment of the parts, which is a desirable detail in the construction of the bedstead.

vI amawarc of the construction shown in Patents Nos. 207,975 and 232,805, in which the hinged or folding legs are provided with spring catches or pawls. In these cases, however, the spring catch or pawl is pivoted direct] y on the leg and extends to and engages -wilh a slot inthe bed-frame. In my case, however, a curved flange extends from the leg and passes through the slot in the bed-fra1ne, and the spring catch or bolt is pivoted on the extremity of this curved flange to engage Vthe slot. This construction has the important advantage that the curved flange steadies the legs, and the spring-catch, being short and Vpivoted on the end of the flange away from the leg, is not likely tobecome tripped by any object striking against the leg, as is the case where the curved flange is omitted and where the catch is made long-and pivoted directly on the leg, asin the formerinstances.

What I claim isl. In a folding bed, the combination, with the outswinging bedframe B,made in two toggle-like sections, g and q, of the elastic web p,attached to the opposite ends of said sections and strained by the straightening toggle action of said sections when the bed-frame is ontswung, and the inclined head -frame C,

jointed to the main section g and extending l in an inclined position beyond and above the end of the web and the minor section q, substantially .as shown and described.

2. In a folding bed, the combination, with the main bed-frame B, made in thev two sections q g, of web p, strained thereon, and inclined head-frame C, hinged to the bed-frame and extended beyond the web p and section q, with a mattress supported on said web and extended beyond the end thereof in an inclined position up over the head-frame O,thus giving the effect of a bolster, substantially as herein shown and described. j

j 3. An improved folding bed formed by the combination, with au inclosing-case, A, and a IOO folding bed-frame, B, of the auxiliary folding head end of the main frame, with the web p attached to the arms and bedhframe at opposite ends, and means to retard and stop the said arms when the bed-frame is swung down and out of the case, substantiallyas shown and described.

4. In a folding bed, the combination, with the outswinging bed-frame, ofthe leverarms q, pivoted to the head end of the bed-frame, :m elastic bedbotlom or web, p, fixed at one end tothe lererarms and at the other end to the foot of the bed-frame, sliding retarders arranged to engage the leverarms, and springs arranged to depress the retarders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, in a folding bed, with the outswinging bed frame and the web p, secured to the foot of the bed frame, ofthe arms q, hinged to the head of the bed-frame and sccured to the head of the web, said arms being formed with the cam-faees 5, with retardingrollers G engaging said cam-faces, and a yielding resisting device, such as 7 9, connected to said rollers, substantially as set forth.

(i. In a folding bed, the combination, with the inclosingcase and hinged bed-frame, of

the leverarms g Q, the web p,attaehcd,rcspectively, to the arms and bed-frame, the sliding rods 7, engaging` the arms, guides S, and springs9,arranged and operatingsubstantially as shown and described.

7. In a folding` bed, the combination, with the inclosingease and folding bed-frame fitti ng into the same, of pivoted legs 7c is, provided with a curved bolt'projeeting therefrom concentric with the pivots and adapted to pass through the side of the hed-frame into the ends of the ease when the bedframe is swung into the case and thelegs folded, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

S. The combination, in a folding bed, with the folding bed-frame and folding legs k, pivoted to the hed-frame, of the curved flange l,

projecting from the legs concentric with the pivot thereof and projecting through a hole in the bcdlframe, with the springvcatch a, pivoted on said curved flange near the extremity thereof, substantially as set forth.

F. ERNST MULLER.

fitncssesz f Cuts. M. HIGGINS, JNO. E. GA'VIN. 

